he first thing General Lee asked me for was rations for his
men. I issued to them the same provisions which Sheridan
had captured. Now if Sheridan, as most men would have done,
had waited for orders from me, Lee would have got off." I
listened with wonder at the generous modesty which, before
that brilliant company, could remove one of the brightest
laurels from his own brow and place it on the brow of Sheridan.

I had another memorable conversation with Grant, not so pleasant.
It revealed a capacity of intense passion which I do not know
that he ever manifested on any other occasion. He had sent
into the Senate the nomination of William A. Simmons for
the important office of Collector of Boston. This was due
to the influence of General Butler. Mr. Sumner, whose controversy
with the President is well known, was then the senior Senator
from Massachusetts. The nomination had been made, of course,
without consulting him, with whom Grant was not on friendly
terms, and without consulting any of the members of the House
of Representatives except Butler. There was a very earnest
opposition to this nomination. I went up to the White House
to endeavor to induce President Grant to withdraw it, but
he had gone out. I repeated my visit once or twice, but failed
to find the President. The third or fourth time that I went
up, as I was coming away I saw President Grant on the other
side of Pennsylvania Avenue, walking alone on the sidewalk
adjoining Lafayette Square. I suppose it was not in accordance
with etiquette to join the President when he was walking alone
in the street; but I overtook him, and said: "Mr. President,
I have been to the White House several times, and been unable
to find you in. The business of the House is very urgent
just now, and it is difficult for me to get away again. Perhaps,
therefore, you will kindly allow me to say what I have to
say here." The President very courteously assented. I walked
along with him, turned the corner, and walked along the sidewalk
adjoining the east side of Lafayette Square, until we came
to the corner opposite the house then occupied by Sumner,
which is now part of the Arlington Hotel. I told the President
that I thought the Republicans of Massachusetts would be much
dissatisfied with the nomination of Simmons, and hoped it
might be withdrawn. The President replied that he thought
it would be an injustice to the young man to do so, and that
the opposition to h